A New Approach
by Toxibane
Summary: Amy is accepted to the prestigious Chesire Academy as one way to escape the life she leaves behind. Her beloved uncle is the principal of the school, and he has a few secrets that he's just dying for his niece to figure out on her own.
1. Chesire Academy

**Disclaimer:** All SEGA characters do not belong to me. Antoine Beaumont, Sophie Beaumont, and Delia are the only characters that belong to me. ; o ;

**Pre-Chapter Notes:** ...OMG, does anyone remember meeee? Heehee. -shot-  
I FAIL, considering I left for about how long? I haven't updated Sudden Change because I'm in a bit of a loss for it. AUGH, I feel so stupid for not writing the ideas I had for the next few chapters down, and now I have to figure out what will happen next, so it'll be on hiatus for now. - 3 -"

Anyhoo! I guess I didn't originally think up this idea because I've read stories using this idea before. -bricked-  
Although, it does have my own twists and turns to it, and I'm glad that there have been influences as well, or else it would be just like all the other ones I've read. I do have a few comments on the story before I start this off! It's in Amy's point of view, and it won't change hopefully. I failed in the past at keeping it to one person's point of view, but I think I have it down now. Also, anything in parentheses are probably my notes to you, or notes to clarify what I write. :]

Now, let's begin, shall we? :D

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The wind was picking up ever so slightly. I didn't mind, however, though I never did care what the weather was like when _he_ was the center of my attention. It had become recent for me to take note that the weather was transitioning to colder stages as the thought of _him_ had been disintegrating. It had started during the beginning of my first rescue, the development of a crush that would end in a surprisingly calm manner. I thought of rage and screaming by the end of my devoted love for _him_, but there wasn't any discussion of the matter at all. _He_ was simply never there to begin with.

Sure, there were simple conversations between the us at times when I felt I had to be calm, but, generally, _he_ dashed off when he saw the chance to, even if I was watching. After so many times of waiting and watching him run away in fear, I finally memorized the expression that found its way to his face every time he saw me standing there. After so many times of plastering a huge smile on my face and yelling the overused nickname of "_Sonikku!," _I grew tired of witnessing the same event again and again. After so many times I felt hurt, I managed to find the best fake smile I could muster. I was a master in deceiving people, whether it was my expression or my actions. I just knew what I had to do for people to leave me alone.

_Alone._

The word resonated in my mind, coaxing a few tears to spill upon my cheeks. No one would ever experience life the way I had. There was always loneliness around every corner I turned to; it was just something I could never escape even as a child. My parents abandoned me at a very young age, leaving an orphanage to fend for me. The people of the orphanage grew tired of me, "the troublesome child," since I wouldn't speak a word to anyone, so I was finally left to fend for myself when they thought I was old enough, leading me to find my dream house. I didn't know it was under the name of two relatives of mine, relatives I would quickly warm up to.

A sudden burst of freezing cold wind slapped me back to reality, causing me to quickly wrap my arms closer to my body. I shivered upon feeling a small breeze brush against my cheeks as it felt bitter cold against the tear-stricken skin. I inhaled to restrict the product that my nose had created, simultaneously feeling more of the warm liquid fall from the corners of my closed eyes. A small sob then fell from my form, instantly surprising me. The tears, the sobbing, the utter heartbreak, it all the doing of one hedgehog. The one hedgehog that I had become infatuated with since the day he saved me from danger. I was crying over _him._ It was just pathetic to say the least, but I did feel better as the sobs came.

Too cold to bring my hands to my face so I could temporarily hide from the outside world, I cried openly, but silently. The sobs grew exponentially, to the point where I was now doubled over on the steps I sat on, to the point where I buried my face into my lap. The material of my jeans were practically soaking up the tears my eyes were creating, but I didn't care. I really didn't care what happened to me, or what was happening around me. I strongly desired to rid myself of this heavy feeling in my chest, a feeling that normally occurred in my everyday life. Gratefully, one call of my full name tore me away from the burden dumped onto me.

"Amelia Rose!"

I sat up instantly, roughly wiping the salty liquid from my eyes. A blurry image of my uncle came into view from behind his pick-up truck, and when I finally blinked away the tears, there was a look of concern present on his face. He sighed and spoke up again, "Sonic?"

"Sonic."

He rolled his eyes, and ruffled my hair with that goofy grin of his appearing on his visage. "Are you sure that you have everything?"

I contemplated over my mental list of the belongings I would bring, nodding when I checked off everything. I smiled to myself while we sauntered to the car, wondering how I had obtained that much clothing. I had abstained from picking my old outfits and adding them to the growing pile of clothes neatly stacked in the suitcase, since I thought why not start anew? I hated those outfits now anyways, they contained memories that I would least likely want to remember. Most of the said memories involved a certain cerulean hedgehog. Yeah, him. That _wretched_ blue speed demon, Sonic the Hedgehog. Although, I do blame myself for maintaining the useless crush on him.

A speed bump on the way to the freeway gladly saved me from reminiscing with a bitter mood. I squealed in surprise when we hit it though, also alerting my uncle who almost swerved to check if I was okay. I could only laugh at our possible demise, and laugh at the expression that my uncle had thrown me. How I loved my dear Uncle Antoine Beaumont. (( Oooh, did I have you there? It's not the coyote, by the way. xD )) He was the principal of the boarding school I was going to attend, and luckily he was my maternal uncle, which meant I wouldn't be ridiculed or treated differently. My uncle thoroughly understood my situation since his father had been a principal, too.

It took me a while to realize one important detail: I was sitting shotgun. My aunt, and my uncle's wife, usually occupied where I was sitting currently, but she was nowhere to be found. "Uncle?"

"Yes, Amy?" he answered, his eyes not straying away from the road.

"Where's aunt Sophie?"

He chuckled, "She kept blubbering about how she wouldn't be able to stand to see the house empty, so she stayed back at school to wait for us."

"Oh, okay!" I loved both my aunt and uncle equally. They were like the parents I never had.

It would be at least an hour until we arrived to Chesire Academy, the school that my uncle owned and took care of as the principal. When we arrived, however, there was no one, but what looked like a maid and my aunt, in sight. "Uncle dearest, how come no one's out and about?" I questioned, peering through the tinted window to silently gawk at the size of the school.

"Well, Ames dearest, it _is_ Monday, and it _is_ 9:03 in the morning."

My face dropped. I had forgotten. School was already in two weeks in when I finally decided to move in. "Mm." I answered, opening the door once the car came to a halt. "Oh, I'll take your suitcase!" the female dressed in a maid's outfit said as she shoo-ed me away from the door in a polite manner. I noticed there was a bit of glee buried in her tone. She bowed and stood by after easily getting my suitcase of the vehicle. I heard my uncle chuckle behind me as he emerged from the driver's side of the car. "Don't mind Delia, she's just happy to have another girl- "

"Okay, bye, honey! We're going shopping for a bit!" my aunt called out as she dragged her husband towards the car again.

They zoomed off after my aunt engulfed me in a hug, and repeating "I love you!" over and over. She probably left before she could burst into tears in my presence. My eyebrows soon knotted. _Wait, what did he mean by that?_ I shrugged it off and followed a giddy Delia inside.

Using the elevator to haul us up two floors, we walked down the spacious hallway to what would be my definition of home for the next few years. Delia opened the door with my key and half-skipped into the room, passing a mini-hallway with a door to the right that I assumed would be the bathroom. My eyes soon met the bright light flooding into the bedroom, revealing to twin beds parallel to each other, a night stand separating the two. I walked over to the one of two personal nightstands, placing my toiletries bag on its wooden surface. Delia had somehow gotten my suitcase onto my bed without my notice and was now standing there with her hands folding neatly behind her back. I threw a smile in her direction. "I can take care of it from here, Delia."

"Are you sure?" she replied with a pout.

I nodded wearily and was thrown my key to the room. She then ran over to me and gave me a quick hug, and was close to leaving until she passed two folding doors. "Oh!" she squealed, "This is your closet, by the way. I believe your roommate has occupied the left side, so the right side is yours."

"Oh, okay, thanks, Delia!"

She nodded in acknowledgment. "You're welcome, Miss Rose!" And with that she left with a bow.

I took a good look around my room, my eyes landing on the closet last. Pulling back the doors revealed a huge closet that had been separated in half. I hadn't thought about burying my nose into my roommate's belongings, so I simply brought my suitcase into the closet to put my stuff away. There was a complimentary dresser and a built-in closet rack, meaning it didn't take me long to have everything in their rightful places.

After setting my suitcase in one corner that wasn't taken, I situated myself comfortably on my bed with a sketchbook, a pencil, and an eraser. I was listening to my mp3 at the same time, but it wasn't loud enough because I could hear chatter coming from the door's direction. The door soon flew open, meaning my roommate had finally decided to return. I glanced at the digital clock on my nightstand, reading 7:36 PM. After rolling my eyes, I forced my gaze down again, resuming the doodle I had begun a few moments ago. The door finally shut after I heard goodbyes, anticipating the reaction of my roommate while I counted his foot falls. "What the..."

It shocked me to figure out that my roommate's voice belonged to a male. Gladly, my face remained blank of emotion as I looked up to find a male holding the shirt he was probably wearing. Sweat caused his fur to glisten, even his six pack was probably more defined. Of course, I only knew all of this using my peripheral vision, so it wouldn't seem like I was some horny schoolgirl. He calmly took a double take at the door and at me. I simply blinked a couple of times, shrugging before going back to my drawing. "You're my new roommate?"

I peered at him without lifting my head. I said nothing.

"You do realize that this is an _all boys boarding school_..."

Internally, my jaw dropped, but again, my face showed no emotion. _What?! Oooh, uncle and I are going to have a good. long. talk._

  
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Review, please? D:  
I'll love you forever. :3


	2. A Reason to Stare

**Disclaimer:** All SEGA characters do not belong to me. Antoine Beaumont, Sophie Beaumont, and Delia are the only characters that belong to me. ; o ;

**Pre-Chapter Notes:** Buwahaha. I feel like thanking those that reviewed personally...

Crunchiecat -- Awwh, gosh, thanks. -blushes-  
Update coming your way! :O

Haley -- Haha, I guess! But a bunch of girls were let in during the show. And thanks, I appreciate it! -smiles-

Project Shadow -- Thank you for the review! :3  
Ohh, have you written anything new lately? I've practically read most of your stories, and now I don't know which ones are new... xD

DemonOfLight -- ORLY? Hehe, thanks for the review. ;3

avalache -- Haha, reallyyy? Hehehehe. -grins evilly-  
And here's the update you're probably waiting for! ;D

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If my glare could kill, and the white carpet of my uncle's office was alive, it would probably be dead. I was glaring daggers at the floor as I paced back and forth, practically waiting for the moment I could snap and let my feelings spill out. Being a girl plus emotions was the worst thing anyone could ever experience. Haha.

My uncle sneaked into the spacious office, and slowly eased himself into his chair with his hands folding neatly on his desk. He sat there with a small smile, no stress or worry present on his being. Of course, since now that I was looking straight at him, my glare had been transferred from that from the floor to my uncle. It didn't faze him one bit though. It irked me how he could keep his composure like that. We competed in a staring contest for who knows how long, and then it hit me, he wanted me to speak up first. Uncle Antoine was one to be my personal diary, so he would sit there, just waiting until I would rant about what bothered me. I exhaled forcefully before I dramatically threw my arms up in the air. "Why didn't you tell me that this was an all boys boarding school?!"

There was that awkward moment of silence before the both of us burst out laughing. I was the first to straighten out my expression, "No, seriously, why?"

Uncle Antoine cleared his throat, and resumed with keeping his hands folded on his desk. "I was supposed to tell you earlier, but your aunt dragged me off to the mall before I could say anything pertaining to the matter."

I frowned. I hadn't thought of the well-being of my aunt until now. "How's auntie doing anyways..." I mumbled, plopping onto one of the twin faux leather seats that faced his desk.

"Well," he began, "She hasn't broken down yet, but she did babble about your safety..."

I let another awkward moment of silence fall upon the room before I spoke to switch the topic back to why I was originally here. "So why _am_ I here?"

"An experiment, and you're one of our many lab rats." he joked.

I chuckled, and smiled. "Explain?"

"We wanted to see if we could introduce females to the vicinity. We _do_ need the extra money."

I nodded slowly, understanding completely. "So am I the only female student here at the moment?"

"Pretty much," he answered, "Another one will be arriving probably in a month or so from now."

"Ah," I tugged on one of my now shoulder-length quills, "Do you really trust me with a boy in the same room? Let alone the same building..."

"Yes, he immediately answered, "I do. I know you're not one to jump into _that_ because of Sonic."

I grimaced at he mention of the name. "Right."

A receiver on Uncle Antoine's desk beeped before a monotone voice was heard. "Principal Beaumont, your order is here."

He pressed another button on the same receiver. "Thanks, send it in, please." The huge double doors opened and a male dressed in a butler suit wheeled in a metal cart with food loaded onto it. "Would you like to join me for dinner tonight, Ames?"

"Oh, I would love to!"

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I finished dinner with my uncle just moments ago, and I was on my way back to the dorm I shared. It turned out that during the evening, most of the boys left their doors open, and because of that there were stares basically boring into my body. I, of course, brought my mp3 with me, so it helped in avoiding those who joined in to stare at me. Gladly, I looked at the floor as I strode, and that made my walk even more comfortable. My key was already in hand, and on a faux barbed wire key chain that also held my keys to a variety to other locks. My dorm's door wasn't left ajar like every other door I had walked past, so I had to open it using said key. An unfamiliar face almost bumped into me as I stepped through the doorway, but he got caught off guard and fell to the floor. He soon got up after staring at the combat boots I semi-religiously wore, running back into the view of those in the bedroom. "You weren't kidding!" he exclaimed, pointing in my direction.

That meant my roommate's friends were in the room. I didn't catch his name yet, nor did I want to know for now. I ignored the nagging notion to roll my eyes, shutting the door behind me. I also ignored the stares I received from them as I stopped at the foot of my bed to find another one of his friends lounging comfortably on it. We connected gaze to gaze, and when he didn't budge, I blinked a couple of times before padding into the closet. Rummaging through my belongings, I picked out my favorite loose Linkin Park shirt and a random pair of pajama pants, quickly exiting the enclosed room to go to the bathroom.

While I closed the bathroom door behind me and locked it, I realized the same male was still on my bed. My shoulders slumped. I really hoped he didn't leave a trail of cologne because strong smells always made me completely dizzy. I frowned and kicked off my boots, hauling myself onto the white marble counter to peel off my black sheer thigh-highs. My faded belt-and-buckles capris followed in suit as I dropped all my clothes onto a empty space on the counter to put in the hamper I had in the closet. I turned the knob to coax water from the shower head, and saw the doorknob of the bathroom door twist the slightest bit. I shook my head with a smile, taking my Linkin Park shirt and hanging it on the knob to block the view of the keyhole. I heard someone curse on the other side of the door, causing me to smirk. It took me a good fifteen minutes for a shower, and I was out by the time goodbyes resonated for the second time today. As soon as I heard a knock at the door, I wrapped a towel around myself. "What is it?" I asked upon nearing the barrier between my roommate and I.

"Oh, she speaks!" He had that tone where I imagined him to be smirking.

I sighed loudly. "Seriously, what do you want?"

"Fine, Miss _Killjoy_. I need to use the bathroom."

"Do you need to go _that_ bad?"

"Kind of."

"Can I put clothes on first?"

I heard my roommate mumble, "Yeah, whatever." before I heard him shuffle away from the door. I quickly threw my clothes on and gathered my soiled clothes before opening the door. My roommate rushed past me when I felt the texture change to carpet beneath my feet, and that's when I heard tinkle sounds. Suppressing a laugh, I semi-ran into the closet dropping my clothes into the right hampers. I picked my hairbrush off my dresser, standing in front of the full-length mirror that was built into the closet wall to brush my hair free of tangles. I heard his bed creak under his weight, so I padded back to the bathroom. Pulling my blow dryer out of a drawer, I plugged it in, setting it aside. I then heaved myself onto the counter top again, but this time, I faced the lengthy mirror, my legs crossed in an Indian fashion. My roommate soon came in, giving me a strange look as he stopped in front of the sink, taking his toothbrush and putting toothpaste onto its bristles. I finished ridding my hair of water before he finished brushing his teeth, and all I had left to do what purposely mess up my hair so I would be able to pull it up into a messy ponytail. I heard him suddenly cut off the water as he spit the last of the toothpaste out of his mouth. "Shadow."

It took me a while to realize what he had said was directed at me, so I took a quick glance at him. "Um, what?"

"My name is Shadow."

I turned back to the mirror to fix the stray strands of my fringe that finally decided to free themselves from my ponytail. "Amy." I muttered in return.

"Amy," he paused in wonder, "That's such a plain name."

I scoffed in a exaggerated manner, "Shadow," I mocked his pause, "That's such an _outrageous_ name."

I let out a silent laugh as he fumed while he exited the bathroom, his bed creaking once more. I also left the bathroom seconds later, finding that _Shadow_ was on his bed, a tablet laptop resting on his lap. My face fell. I've always wanted a tablet laptop, but my mom stuck me with a regular one. I bought myself a regular tablet soon after, since it would've been futile to try and save up for a tablet laptop. Disheartened, I crawled into bed and let my head drop onto my pillow, happy that it didn't reek of cologne. I curled up and found the silence of the room lulling me to sleep, feeling my covers drape over my body without me exerting any effort.

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Heehee. Is this good? Bad? IDK!  
Tell me in a review, please?

Hmmm, how long should I let you guys suffer? -cackles-  
...LOL, I'm kidding. I didn't get a chance to post this earlier because my week was just filled to the brim with events. :D


	3. Why So Vain?

**Disclaimer:** All SEGA characters do not belong to me. Antoine Beaumont, Sophie Beaumont, Delia, Evan, and Maxwell are the only characters that belong to me. ; o ;

**Pre-Chapter Notes:** Wheeee, I love you guys! Reviews make me so happy and inspired. :D!

Crunchiecat - I wonder as well. ;D  
Hm, good question!

_**I'll have some important questions at the end of the chapter!**_:D

Project Shadow - Buwahaha, thank youuu. :3  
Awww, tell me when you do! I love your stories!  
-stamps a bunch of hearts on the stories I've read so far- Hehe.

avalache - Haha, thank you, thank you!  
Here's the update! ;D

DemonOfLight69696 - LOL, very awkward..._and dangerous_ ! :OO  
But, now that I think of it, Shadow attends Chesire Academy! -latches onto her Shadow plushie-

DiamondStarz - Aww, thanks, honeybun!  
Haha, here's the update! ;3

Nazo The Ace - OMG, I'll save you, babies! -posts chapter three- xD

-- I think this might be my longest chapter for this story. :D --

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I woke up to something tickling my nose, which twitched from being agitated. Soft giggles emitted from someone probably kneeling by my bed, the same person irritating me. I opened my eyes as a glare to find the male that had laid on my bed yesterday holding a piece of paper that hovered in front of my face. Groaning and shutting my eyes, I blindly reached about my crowded my pillow space, latching onto one of my few stuffed animals and launching it at his head. He fell back with an 'Oof!' and an 'Ow!' with the piece of paper slowly finding its way onto his stomach. Smirking triumphantly, I took my time sitting up, finding that my blanket was resting on my body. This confused me to many levels; I couldn't remember myself shrugging my blanket onto my body last night. Maybe Shadow- Ha! Yeah, right.

I lazily slid off my bed, and stretched as I found myself in the closet, ready to search for the outfit I was supposed to wear today. I was looking through my jackets hanging on the closet rack when one of their voices cut into the silence of the closet. "This is so cute! What's his name?" I rolled my eyes and kept my mouth shut as I decided on a simple outfit, one that included a jacket since I was told the classrooms were thoroughly air conditioned. Someone then appeared at the closet's opening since the natural light was overshadowed. I dared to take the glance to find out who it was, and saw Shadow standing there with the same piece of paper in hand. "_What?_" I asked a bit harsher than I intended.

"No need to PMS, Amelia. It's your schedule, and it turns out they paired you up with me because we have the same exact classes."

"Whoopee." I cheered unenthusiastically. _He knows my real name? I bet uncle told him. Now that I think about it, I wonder how many secrets he's kept from me..._

He sighed heavily and left my schedule on my nightstand before he entered his part of the closet. I thought of choosing the outfit that was purposely ripped in different places, and so I did. I personally cut off the neckline to a whole black shirt, also ripping it in the process. My pants were also torn in several places, places that wouldn't reveal private parts, of course. The standard scuffed and old low-top Converse were my shoes, along with a jacket I had modified myself. The only thing I had sewn onto the jacket were cat ears I made by hand, and they were placed on the hood. It had been my favorite jacket ever since, and I wasn't going to let it go anytime soon. I started making and mending my own clothes after ditching those red dresses I wore religiously, and I wasn't going to stop now, even if people thought I looked like an eyesore.

Shadow beat me to the shower since it took me forever to figure out my attire for the day. His friends remained in the room as he washed up, and now I starting to feel uncomfortable under their gaze. I was sitting on my bed with my legs crossed, 'The Fear' blasting through my headphones. From the corner of my eye, I noticed my stuffed cow was missing, meaning Shadow's friend hadn't given it back. Suddenly, the said plush toy hovered into my vision. I made a move to reach for it, but the cow was gently pushed up against my face, its cotton-stuffed arms wrapping around my head. I frowned in disapproval, and lazily swatted the plush away. "Stop it!" I whined softly as my arm swung at the stuffed animal once more while I slid off my headphones.

A giggle came from my beside. It came from the same boy that had been lying down on my bed the day before. "Aww!" he clapped his hands together in joy, "Your voice is much cuter than I imagined!"

A pout crossed his face when I looked away, but a smile broke out on his face. "I'm Evan! And your name is...?"

I hesitated, and decided on giving him a fake name to mess with him. "Hana."

"But," he looked confused at this point, "Shadow said your name was Amelia."

"Then why ask what my name is?" I asked, picking the lint off my pajama pants.

"I thought it would be more polite."

I shrugged and heard the bathroom door open. Shadow walked into the room, a towel wrapped around his torso to keep everyone from seeing him fully naked. I felt an unwanted blush rise to my cheeks as I tried to avert my gaze, though it didn't work. His stare had captured mine as a smirk formed on his lips. It took me a while to finally tear myself away to pick at the lint of my pajamas again. Evan giggled beside me, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Shadow's voice then drifted into the room from the closet. "Hey Evan, do you mind helping Amelia to the bathroom? Time's not going to wait for us."

I glared at the wall that separated us, and didn't expect the giggly bear to actually follow the order. I squealed as I was lifted into the air bridal style, clinging onto his neck for dear life. There was a chorus of laughter coming from the room and the closet while Evan gently set me down on the marble counter top. He smiled before he bounded out the door, returning with the clothes I picked out earlier. I blinked in surprise and mumbled, "Thank you."

"You're oh so very welcome, oh adorable one!" He simply rubbed his nose against mine, closing he door as he disappeared. I twitched my nose, and touched it before I hopped off the counter, locking the door and hanging my jacket on the doorknob. I ran the shower while I shed my clothes, darting inside the warm confines of the designated shower space to escape the cold air of the bathroom. There was banging on the door just as I cut the water, Evan's voice turned to a singsong tone. "Ameliaaa! We're going to be late!"

That reminded me...What time was it? I shrugged and was quick to get out of the bathroom since Evan kept pounding his fist against the door every so often. I opened the door only to have the same ecstatic bear gracefully pick the soiled clothes from my arms, running away with them. I made a move to chase him, but Shadow stepped into my path, cutting me off by placing his hand on the door frame. "Don't worry, Evan knows how to separate colors and whatever..."

"Okay..." I responded uneasily as I was handed my cell phone and my messenger bag.

The ecstatic bear skipped back into view, and ushered us out the door that Shadow's other friend held open. Evan grinned widely at the one who was now locking the door. "Thank you for holding the door for us, Maxxie!"

"Don't call me that! It's Max or Maxwell to you!" he hissed, throwing Shadow the key, "I only did it for Amelia." He smiled at me as he strode over, catching my cheek and brushing his thumb against my muzzle. A shiver ran down my spine due to the temperature of his skin. His hands were probably cold because of the air conditioned air in our dorm room. I took hold of his hand and moved it away from my face, a frown on his own face resulting from it. He then took the place to my left, shoving his hands into his pockets with a nonchalant expression.

Without doing a full 360, I realized I was surrounded by the three of them. Max was to my left, Shadow had taken the place to the right, while Evan flanked me from behind. What the hell was going on? I opened my mouth, but Shadow butted in. "Principal's orders. We promised to keep you safe from...everyone else..."

My mouth formed an 'o' before we began our journey to...well, I had no idea where we were headed off to. I finally had the common sense to check my phone to figure out what time it was. 6:45 AM. _What?!_ I gaped at my phone, and turned to Shadow. "Where are we going?"

"Breakfast. We need our sustenance for the day."

"But..." my ears lowered, "...Why so early?" I pressed, dreading the fact I was woken up earlier than I would have back for my old school.

"It gives us time to relax before we get to class, and all the good food is served at this time."

"Oh." I responded, walking towards the elevator. I forcefully bumped into Max on the way, almost falling to the floor if I hadn't caught myself. Confusion swept my visage as my arm was tugged in a different direction.

"We're taking the stairs." Evan clarified as he tugged again.

"W-What?"

"We take the stairs to wake up entirely." Shadow answered as he was the first to disappear through the door frame.

I groaned audibly while I was pushed through the doorway next. I whined and complained the whole way down the stairs, but somehow they managed to live through it. Even Sonic wasn't _that_ patient with me. I bit my lip, and fiddled with my cell while nostalgia clouded my mind. _Sonic._

I was soon led to the back of the line with Shadow in front of me. He handed us trays, strangely skipping Evan, and we slowly proceeded with taking food that we had to pay for at the end. Everything looked so yummy while it sat on my tray that I couldn't stand looking at it before we reached the register, where Shadow pulled a credit card out of his pocket. Oh, that's right, we were given cards that acted as our credit cards, but it was only for purchasing things around campus. It was reloadable only through the main office, and how much you put onto your card went on the bill sent to your parents. Of course, my uncle was the one to reload my card, so it needn't bother my aunt and her share of money.

I sighed. My uncle entrusted me to keep myself safe, and I intended to. Snippets of my memories with Sonic, both good and bad, played through my mind. It was thanks to him I wouldn't be able to allow anyone to grow that close to me. I promised myself I would give some time for my mental wounds to heal. As cheesy and stupid as that sounded, it was true. I was temporarily, or possibly permanently, scarred because of what Sonic had done. "Amy?"

I broke away from my thoughts to find a concerned Evan sitting across from me at a table. _That was weird, how did I get here?_ I asked myself, happy I didn't trip on the way. Shadow and Max were in their own little conversation, and Evan had only purchased an apple. I took note of something else. "W-Wait, did you just call me Amy?"

"Mhmm!" he answered, his mouth filled with apple bits. He chewed quickly and swallowed before continuing so that pieces of apple wouldn't fly towards me. "You can give me a nickname in return if you want."

"Um..." I went into thought as I repeatedly stabbed the omelet on my plate. _Evvie? No, ew. Van. I can do something with Van._ Then an idea clicked in my head, coaxing my lips into a smile. "Vanity!"

Shadow snorted and began choking in the seat next to me. I panicked and patted his back until he calmed down, chuckling in between coughs. "Oh God," he coughed once more, "Vanity is the perfect name (cough) for Evan."

"Is that so?" I asked as I retracted my arm, picking up my fork again to resume eating.

"Yes, it is," Max said, "Because, if you haven't noticed, he pulls out his mirror every so often to check himself out."

Evan smiled, ignoring Max's comment. "Vanity is a great nickname! I like it."

I weakly smiled back, and finally began to enjoy the food I decided on. We lingered at the table until the bell rang. I rose from my chair to throw my scraps away, but my tray was suddenly taken from my grasp. I didn't react as Shadow sped away with our trays, coming back in a matter of seconds. From there, we exited the building to walk to the one next to the dorms building. While we went up four floors, Evan and Max departed for their own classes, leaving Shadow and I alone. I felt less nervous knowing that I knew someone in all of my classes, but I knew I would eventually crumble under the pressure of everyone stares.

How I _hoped_ the next girl would draw attention away from me.

When we entered the classroom, it was only half full, though the occupants still stared and/or whispered amongst themselves. I glanced at Shadow, who gave my shoulder a short, reassuring rub. The teacher looked up from drawing shapes on the white board, and broke into a smile upon his gaze landing on me. "Amelia Rose, I was wondering when you'd show up!"

I smiled back and watched as Shadow pressed my schedule into the teacher's outstretched hand. The teacher then waved us away, so Shadow led me to seats in the back, where he finally released his hold on my shoulder. I frowned when the weight of his hand lifted from my joint. His touch felt comforting while on our way here, and this time I didn't really take notice of the people that weren't Shadow, Max, or Evan. Nothing I could think of could explain why I liked it, and finally put it off to think over later.

---------------------------------------- - - - x

The hours filled with boring lectures, stares, and no female teachers seem pretty endless if you ask me. Shadow and I were fast to return back to the dorm after school ended because our classes practically sucked the life out of us. Max was currently in our presence, but Evan was no where to be found. I was curled up on my bed, my head placed near the foot board. For entertainment, I would watch Shadow tap away at his tablet laptop with downright jealousy, and then I'd glance at the television to see what Max was watching to keep myself from lunging at the red-streaked ebony hedgehog. A faint knock was heard, and since I figured that it could be Evan, I went to open it. As I thought it was the bubbly bear, but his skin couldn't have looked any paler. My lips curved into a frown. "Evan, you don't look so well."

He waved dismissively, putting on a weak smile. "I'm fine, no need to worry. And what happened to calling me 'Vanity'?"

"Well, for this type of situation, I don't think it would be appropriate if I called you by your nickname..."

He waved again, this time in annoyance, and slipped past me to get into the bedroom. After closing the door, I followed Evan back, finding he had collapsed on my bed. I padded to the side of the bed to feel his forehead, which was a smidge warmer than one's usual temperature. After brushing his bangs from his eyes, I took my stuffed cow from its placed and put it in his arms. He instantly hugged the plush toy, and drifted towards dreamland since his troubled face gradually softened. "Aww, Amy's such a sweetheart."

I shot a playful glare at Max, who only laughed and turned back to the television. I sighed and sulked over to where he sat on the floor. He groaned beside me, and began rolling his shoulder. "What's wrong?" I asked, hugging my knees to my chest.

"Watching television while you're on the floor isn't very comfortable."

An idea sparked in my head, causing me to smile to myself. Now I couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive.

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Pshhh, I think I could've made a better cliffhanger (and a chapter three that will do justice), but my brain is just fried right now. xD

Oh yeah, the **important questions**!:

1) Do you, my lovely readers, want a _cannon character_ or an _original character_ to be the one to pop up sometime in a later chapter?

2) I'm not sure, but if I throw in a kind of _intimate_ moment between...some characters...-cough-...must I change the rating to M? I'm eventually going to change the rating though...

I'm confused! Help! D;

...Anyhoo! Review, please? :D

-extends a platter of freshly baked brownies drowned in chocolate syrup, ice cream, and whipped cream-

...Ohh, that sounds good right about now... ; o ;


	4. Sneaky Intention

**Disclaimer:** All SEGA characters do not belong to me. Antoine Beaumont, Sophie Beaumont, Delia, Evan Crest, and Maxwell Sinclaire are the only characters that belong to me. ; o ;

**Pre-Chapter Notes:** Haha, I figured that I let up on some suffering, eh? Hehehe... I love you guys, you make my day. ;]

RoseMary - Awwh, thanks, honeybun!

gShadow - Dude, I have to thank you. I would do it over PM, but I'm just that much of a chicken.

Your review was a bit of a wake-up call, considering I wrote most of these chapters while my teacher lectured and had me half-asleep at one point. -cough-

I know there are specific stories that appeal to different people, and I don't mind at all if you didn't enjoy mine. I know that I can't satisfy every reader that stops by. (I appreciate the absence of rude bashing, also.)

Oh, and I never did like arranging events in chronological order, so the past is usually revealed in later chapters, lol.

avalache - Thank you very much for the input! xD  
It helps a lot. e o e"

DemonOfLight69696 - Buwahaha, you'll see. ;D  
Reply to...  
1) -coughs and flees-  
2) LOL, oh yes, I came across one of those...one...time. -shuts up- :3  
Brownies are delicioussss. Omnomnommm. ; A ;

Crunchiecat - Awwh, thanks! He's based off one of my good friends there. -ahem-  
Vote counted for. ;D  
LOL, I won't put a lemon in here, don't worry. I thought against it!  
Or maybe... -shifty eyes-

Project Shadow - Buwahaha, thank you kindly. :D  
Thanks for the votes, too. xD

Oh yes, I will be anticipating for that day.

Nazo The Ace - Thank youu!  
LOL, shat. I'm squished now. D;  
Of course, here's Chapter Fourrr!

DiamondStarz - Haha, you're wonderfully silly. ;3  
Thank you! I hope you like this one, tooooo...  
And thank you for the votes, I know who to choose now. -sinister grin-

SoujaGurl - Original character, hmmm? Hehehe.  
Thanks, aaand we'll just have to find out, don't we? ;D

TheDemonRazgriz - Oh, well, of course! Max said so himself! ;D  
Thank you very much! That helps my self-confidence. ; o ;

Hmmm, we'll just have to seeeee.

Hope I didn't miss anyone! Tell me if I do, I don't want to leave anyone out. D:

---------------------------------------- - - - x

Waking up in tears on Saturday morning was the least that I expected to do. The dream, or I guess you could define it as a nightmare, was entirely about Evan. For the past week, I noticed that after we'd retreat to our dorm, Evan would disappear and join us later on, looking pale beyond belief. The nightmare had including all the possibilities that I could think of how he could be drained of color (and energy, too). I denied all the worst case scenarios that my mind could come up with, but it just seemed to haunt me until I could distract myself with something else. The magnitude of it had me shaken, and the sudden gasp I had produced didn't even alert Shadow, who was sprawled out on his bed comfortably while watching television.

I sighed heavily, running my hand through my quills, my fingers snagging on a few knots. I threw off my covers carelessly, and shuddered when the chilly air of the room hit my warm skin. Trotting over to the thermostat, I was forced to squint to check the current temperature of the room. "Fifty-nine degrees Fahrenheit..." My jaw dropped in disbelief while I glanced at Shadow, who was only sporting a pair of boxer shorts. "Why is it fifty-nine degrees in here?" I inquired with wild curiosity.

"It was hot last night." he responded flatly, his eyes unwavering from the television.

"We, more likely _you_, could've gotten sick!" I yelled in an exasperated manner, all the while turning the thermostat up a good seven degrees.

"Hn."

I didn't know much about Shadow like I thought I did. He was extremely moody, and it annoyed me to a great extent because I didn't know whether he was approachable or not. He'd have a smirk on his face, then he'd be scowling or emotionless moments later. Then were the times where he'd be overall irritable like something had been shoved up his arse.

Best just leave him alone, right?

I rolled my eyes before I jumped back onto my bed, bundling my blankets up as an attempt to grow warmer. I later fell asleep in the process, succumbing to the warmth that surrounding me.

---------------------------------------- - - - x

I was never aware that I had fallen asleep again, until someone roughly shook my arm, while the familiar alarm tone of my cell hovered over my head. "Amy. Amy. _Amelia_ !"

I whimpered softly as I felt my senses slowly come back to me. "Nggh."

Shadow shook me again, this time a bit more violently, causing me to sit upright. "_What?!"_ I semi-shrieked, glaring maliciously as the ebony hedgehog towering over me.

"Your phone woke me up." he growled through gritted teeth, tossing the device onto my lap.

I quickly pressed a button on my phone to cut the alarm, and it oddly relieved a bit off my aggravation. I frowned deeply to the point where I thought my face would remain in a permanent upside down smile. Maybe letting Shadow have some space would lessen his mood swings, and this little trip I had planned was the only way I could give myself some fresh air away from the academy. Leaving my bed a mess, I stalked half-angrily into the closet, throwing what I thought would match onto the floor. I sneered at the pile of clothes that were thrown haphazardly to the floor, wondering why a good amount of it was red and black. I had to rummage through my closet again, in hopes of finding my favorite old pair of jeans, and a shirt that didn't consist of Shadow's fur colors. All I needed then was a quick shower and then I would be ready to leave this tension-ridden _hell hole_.

---------------------------------------- - - - x

I neared the woman manning the desk situated outside of my uncle's office, my hands latched onto the straps of my stuffed cat backpack. Before I could utter a word, she already knew what I was here for. "Yes, your uncle is in his office. Do you want me to ring him up and tell him you're here?" she offered politely, while tapping a stack of papers into a neat pile.

"Uh, no thanks," I briefly smiled, "I'll just knock."

She nodded, giving me her own small smile before going back to arranging papers. I proceeded to the wooden double doors, letting my knuckles graze the surface of the wood. "Uncle?"

His faint 'Come in!' gave me permission to enter, so I did, quickly jogging over to my uncle, who was standing in front of his desk with a questionable look on his person. "What's wrong?" I asked upon coming closer.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," he assured me, "What's up, Ames?"

"Er, do you have some time on your hands?" I asked with some hope in my voice.

"Yes, why?" he answered, curiosity coming across his features as he leaned on his desk.

"I want to do a bit of shopping..."

Uncle Antoine's eyebrows rose, "What... kind of shopping?"

"Oh, just a few things to make my dorm more comfortable," I paused, "And convenient." I quickly added.

With his coat already draped over his arm, Uncle Antoine searched hurriedly through the drawers of his desk. "Aha!" he yelled, smiling triumphantly while holding up his keys, "Found them!"

He then offered his arm, which I took with a delightful smile, allowing him to lead me wherever he had to go before we reached his truck. We had to stop by his secretary to update her with our locations for the next few hours or so, which coaxed her to slap her palm against her forehead. She shoo-ed us away soon after, so we raced for my uncle's beloved pick-up truck, the loser to pay for what I wanted to buy. It was a joke, of course, since where could I obtain the money? Heehee.

Once finished with my short shopping spree, my uncle and I were back at his truck, packing what I had bought securely into and onto the vehicle. My uncle was busy re-strapping down a mini-fridge and some groceries to the bed of the truck, while I had to stuff three bean bag chairs into the backseat. Uncle Antoine soon appeared on the driver's side, slamming the door behind him. "Ready to go?" he asked, a bit out of breath.

"N-No..." I struggled with my answer since Evan's chair wouldn't fit. Max's was fairly larger in size because he preferred the floor, as opposed to Shadow on his bed, while I practically shared my own with Evan. Giving up, I let the foam-filled sack rest on the my lap. "Seatbelts, please!"

I did as I was told, holding onto the bean bag on my lap as my uncle did a quick reverse, zooming out of the parking lot of the shopping mall.

---------------------------------------- - - - x

Delia was already waiting on the stairs leading to the dorms as we pulled into the parking lot. Upon the gear shifting into 'park,' Delia flitted over to us, already unlatching the straps holding down the miniature refrigerator. Pulling the keys from the ignition, my uncle quickly hurried out of the car to help with removing the stainless steel cooler. I, however, busied myself with figuring out how I would carry the bean bag chairs up without dropping them in the process. "Amy! You alright?" I heard my uncle call back as they shuffled towards the stairs.

"Not really!" I groaned, and coincidentally threw the black and red bean bag chair into the bed of the car. I realized we didn't have enough hands to also bring in the groceries, so I simply followed them in. Hopefully, we were going back for a second trip...

Uncle Antoine and Delia disappeared as I set up the bean bags into place: Max's leaning against the nightstand that separated the beds, and Evan's at the foot of my bed. I liked that half of the chair was made of velvet of one color, coupled with black faux leather pulled over for the bottom half. I ran my fingers over the velvet of Evan's, the color of his visibly brighter; it was a yellow color, his favorite particularly. I was surprised that he chose a general color, and that it was Max that settled on a specific color, burgundy. Shadow didn't respond at all when I asked what their favorite colors were many conversations ago, only giving me that infamous 'Hn.' of his.

It was pretty surprising to find that the store we visited had colors with specific names. Luckily, burgundy (wine) was one of them, while I stuck with yellow dandelion and scarlet rose for Evan and Shadow.

There was a sudden knock at the door, causing me to jump. Delia rushed in with the plastic bags and soda boxes, Shadow's chair whizzing past her head, missing the television by a couple of centimetres. "Ames, I have to go downstairs! I'll talk to you later!" I heard my uncle whisper urgently before I heard him scuffle away.

Delia curtsied once, nodding once rapidly. "I must bid you adieu as well, Miss Rose!"

I had to yell a quiet 'Thank you!' as she disappeared from sight as a means of gratitude for all the help they provided. I closed the door, and locked it, hoping that no one would interrupt me while I stashed the groceries into the fridge. Sighing deeply, I plopped onto the floor in front of the said cooler, listening to the quiet hum that it gave. Why were they in such a rush? I guess I could ask uncle what the commotion was about later, but now I had to finish the task I began before my _lovely_ roommate and his friends could waltz into the room with those _wonderful_ personalities of theirs.

After I was done with the tedious job, I grabbed my cell phone and my fake barbed wire keychain, so I could leave the room. I just really didn't want to be in there even if Evan and Max were going to be. As I slipped my favorite pair of shades on after locking the door behind me, I felt the chilly air of the building prick my bare arms. I cursed myself for not bringing a black, over-sized hoodie to blend in with, already receiving a few glances. Why wouldn't they _stop_ staring? I wasn't a freaking piece of meat up for grabs.

Obviously, it was starting to piss me off as much as the sudden change of Shadow's politeness and mood.

---------------------------------------- - - - x

The campus scenery was beautifully distracting, and I was hoping it would. My aunt probably suggested the positions and locations of flowerbeds and planters, since the arrangements seemed similar to what she had in store at their abode. When I came across the tennis courts, I wasn't the least bit surprised with the tall, never-ending chain-link fence surrounding them, since my aunt took me to play tennis when she could before. I snuck away with the use of some hedges nearby, stupidly running into someone exiting the tennis courts. I squealed loudly as I fell to the floor with a loud thud. "I'm so sorry!" I heard him apologized, "I should watch how fast I walk..." he trailed off as he extended his hand.

"Mrff..." I mumbled in pain as I took his hand. He instantly hauled me to my feet, letting me brush any remnants of dirt and dust off myself. "I-It's okay." I stammered, still a bit shaken from the fall. That wouldn't be the end of it though, not until he left my presence.

Even with that tint of concern settled in his orbs, I could distinguish those emerald irises anywhere.

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-giggles- I just _had_ to somewhere.  
If anyone gets it... Hehe.

Review, please. ;3


	5. Mythical Creatures

**Disclaimer: **All SEGA characters do not belong to me. Antoine Beaumont, Sophie Beaumont, Delia, Evan Crest, and Maxwell Sinclaire are the only characters that belong to me. ; o ;

**Pre-Chapter Notes:** Long delay is long. To be honest, I got so caught up with finishing high school (more than a year ago), that these stories of mine were buried within the chaos of my flashdrive! After finally cleaning the poor thing out, I came across my fanfiction folder and the nostalgia hit me like a truck. I actually have this story written on paper somewhere in my closet, but I don't remember which folder it's in. However, I do remember snippets of where I was taking this story, and I'm pretty sure I don't have an ending for it yet. I also do remember one of the secrets Uncle Antoine is keeping from our dear Amy! With a bit of tweaking, I'm pretty damn excited~

For now, this might take a few twists and turns I never initially wanted back in '09, so excuse me if I put in some "fillers" until I can find the original paperwork and outline for ANA. And, luckily, about a quarter of this chapter was already typed up, so yay me! :D

Oh yeah, and my writing style might've changed a bit since then. I hope it's as enjoyable as before. :}

**EDIT:** I've begun art for our lovable bear, Evan, to which I will post in his character profile found on my profile when it's finished!

- - - - x

I stared, and I stared, but I couldn't bring myself around to believing it. _Sonic_ was here. Did Uncle know? Was he even _aware_ of the students that attended the school?

"Are ya sure you're okay?" his voice snapped me back to reality.

"Y-Yeah. I'm just dandy." I said lowly, not even able to look at him through my sunglasses.

He gave a small chuckle as if he were happy to know that I was fine. "Well, it wouldn't be polite of me not to ask for your name."

Even with the my thoughts entirely scattered, I still searched for the right answer, but instead blurted out the first name that popped into my head. "Hana."

The sapphire hedgehog flashed me his signature grin once more. "And I'm Sonic. Nice to meet ya, Hana!"

"Pleasure..." I muttered.

He nodded as curiosity swept across his face. "Hey, you're the new girl, right?"

"Mhmm..." I didn't want to stand near him anymore, so I hoped that he had somewhere to run off to as usual.

"Oh, that's right, you're always hounded by Shadow and his friends," he body shook with laughter, "Well, I have to go, see ya around, Hana!" he yelled, already meters away from where he originally stood.

I weakly waved at him, watching him zoom off as I had done countless times before.

- - - - x

I wandered aimlessly around campus after he'd left me standing there, somehow ending up in the library after bumping into pillars, walls, the occasional person, and the like. The aisles created by the tall, wooden bookcases seemed endless, because of the spacious room that they called a library, that I thought I would even get lost within its depths. After successfully finding a book on mythical creatures, I sat at the first table I came across, glad that there weren't many people around. I had already gone through a whole section on Sirens when a shadow moved along the table I sat at, instantly catching my attention. It was the cerulean hedgehog, leaning on the wooden surface of the furniture with that grin of his. I threw him an effortless smile in return and went back to my book, which he probably thought gave him permission to speak. "I noticed you were all alone."

"Mhmm." I said, not prying my eyes off the current page I was on.

"Would you like to join us?" he asked suddenly, the grin never leaving his muzzle.

"Us?" I questioned, peering at him through my sunglasses, which I still wore in case I encountered him again.

"Yeah, me and my friends! I want you to meet them!"

"U-Um, okay." I replied uneasily as I stood to my feet, closing my book and clutching it to my chest.

He led the way until we stopped at a table occupied by an echidna and a fox, pulling a chair out for me. I sat in the offered seat, my fingers enclosing tightly on the poor book. This wasn't good at all. I pursed my lips in a bout of worry and nostalgia; these were Sonic's best friends, and, by default, were my "best friends." In other words, they were also two ways of knowing Sonic's whereabouts back then.

I took the imminent silence as an opportunity to glance up at Knuckles and Tails, growing uncomfortable under their inquisitive stares. Sonic cleared his throat moments later to break up the awkward situation... or so we thought. The three of us immediately switched our attention to the hedgehog that stood next to me, who only gave us a confused look in return. "I didn't do it!"

"Ahem!"

The voice that beckoned for attention seemed all too familiar, the sound causing the table's occupants to casually search for the source. With a bit of hesitation, I turned my body to face the bookcase behind me, the fringe of a certain bear poking from amongst the books. I rolled my eyes, mumbling a quick, "Be right back." before darting into the aisle where the bear was hiding. "Vanity!" I exclaimed in a low whisper, "What are you doing here?"

"Mister Shadow has been paging Miss Amelia for the past hour, and has been going batshit insane with the lack of her presence!" he stated happily in the same octave.

My eyes widened as I felt my cheeks warm up, "What are you talking about?"

"In english, he's been texting and calling you like crazy."

Sighing heavily, I fished my phone from my pocket to find 14 missed calls and six text messages from Shadow. The question was: When did I ever input his number into my cell? I shook my head and glanced back at the trio seated at the table from behind the shelves, extremely glad that Evan unintentionally rescued me from emotional destruction.

"Something wrong?"

Returning my attention back to him, my voice ending up faltering, "I... I-I just need to check this book out. Then we can head back to the dorm."

He nodded and took my hand to lead me around the bookcase back to the entrance of the library, somehow understanding I really didn't want to be here right now. With no line at the checkout desk, we were already on our way back to my forsaken dorm, where I would face mass amounts of rage from someone I barely knew.

- - - - x

The door creaked as I pushed it open, Evan closing it as I kicked off my boots and plucked the shades from my face before trudging into view of the room. My eyes met with Max's at the first instance, his small, devious smile lightening my mood a bit as I quickly ducked into the closet to put my shoes away. I could feel that the air was thick with tension, despite the continous flow of cold air in the room. I wondered if Shadow was waiting for his friends to leave before he could unleash his wrath...

I eventually emerged with a loose shirt and cotton shorts, avoiding all eye contact with my roommate. _What was he so uptight about, anyway?_ As usual, Evan was draped across my bed, his stomach face down as he cuddled with my stuffed cow. After placing my book down on my nightstand, I plopped down beside him and used his lower back as my makeshift pillow.

My eyelids grew heavy as soon as my head sank comfortably into the small of his back, not noticing I'd fall asleep from my little escapade around the academy.

- - - - x

It was around midnight when I found myself wide awake with nothing else to do but read the book I checked out. Shadow was nowhere to be found when I woke up, which never concerned me anyway. At least he wasn't here to yell at me, right? What really bothered me was that the room was always _freezing_, leaving me to wake up shivering to no end in the middle of the night!

It was the same this time around, so I had to roll out of bed to turn up the thermostat back up to a bearable 67 degrees. I then lay in bed wrapped up in my blankets, resorting to picking up my book and reading so I could lull myself back to sleep. I was soon enamored with the chapter about demons by the name of incubi- and their female counterparts, succubi- enough to not take notice that Shadow was standing in the hallway's opening.

I eventually tore myself from my forbidden reverie, an "if" type of situation, one where I was a succubus able to captivate my _once_ blue hero. My gaze dreamily trailed toward Shadow, who now stood by his bed and was stripping down to his boxers.

I tensed at the sight before my attention fell back onto the pages laid before me, soaking in the images of the demons hovering over their victims. I waited with bated breath for the slew of spiteful words he would dump on me, but it barely occurred to me that maybe he wasn't angry. But why were there so many missed calls and texts in the first place?

Cutting the silence by allowing a light laugh to escape me, I bravely took another glance at him, ultimately watching him tug his shirt off. I grew uneasy as his crimson orbs came into view, leaving my gaze to dart back to the book. "You know, you remind me of an incubus," I began, my lips twisted into the smallest of smiles, "You'd come in partly naked, I'd gawk, and you'd smirk as if you're intentionally doing it."

He immediately paused from his descent onto his bed, his stare instantly catching mine once more. My breath stopped short as the pit of my stomach churned, my fingers tangling themselves within my blanket. We remained that way until I forced my head the other direction, realizing I hadn't taken a single breath during that stare-off. All while breathing in, I slammed the book shut to replace it back on my nightstand, taking no time to dive back under my covers with my back facing him.

"G-Good night." I mumbled.

Now _that_ was beyond strange.

- - - - x

Review, pl0x? :D


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